2016 Ford Taurus SHO Overview

Once upon a time, SHO stood for “Super High Output,” a reference to a Yamaha-engineered engine that transformed the dowdy Taurus into a legitimate sports sedan. Today, arguments could be made that the performance-tuned version of Ford’s hulking linebacker of a family car really ought to be called the Taurus HO.

Nevertheless, a twin-turbocharged V6 engine installed in any vehicle is a good thing. In the increasingly rare Taurus SHO, it represents a genuine treat.

What makes the Taurus SHO special isn’t its sportier styling, which includes a unique black mesh grille separating HID headlights, a rear spoiler, and 20-inch wheels. What makes the Taurus SHO special is what you can’t see on the surface.

Pop the hood to view this car’s heart and soul, a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine making 365 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 350 lb.-ft. of torque between 1,500 rpm and 5,000 rpm. What is the result of that motive force spread across the engine’s rev range like a scoop of cookie butter on your tongue? Whoosh!

An optional Driver Assist Package adds an adaptive cruise control system, a lane departure warning with lane keeping assist system, and a forward collision warning with brake support system. Note that Ford’s brake support technology is not an automatic emergency braking system. Instead, in an emergency situation where the driver is reacting to a forward collision warning alert, brake support delivers maximum braking power the moment the driver steps on the brake pedal.

An active park assist system is also included in the Driver Assist Package, autonomously steering the Taurus SHO into a parallel parking space while the driver operates the transmission and pedals. Active massaging front seats are available, too, making long road trips with the car’s huge 20.1 cu.-ft. trunk packed full of luggage that much easier to bear.

Alternatives to the Ford Taurus SHO

Performance-themed, mainstream, full-size sedans are rarities in the automotive marketplace. The Taurus SHO’s main competitors include the Chrysler 300S and the Dodge Charger R/T.

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